Adventures in Babysitting
by Scytherageroses
Summary: Kurtis Stryker gets suckered into babysitting Cassie for a week. In addition to protecting the city and chasing a dangerous vigilante, now he must add babysitting to his already full plate. Until he devises a brilliant plan.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Johnny's face was apologetic. As was Sonya's.

They looked at Kurtis Stryker like they were about to beg.

He had just finished his shift at the precinct at 21st street, and he was ready to go home when the two approached him.

"We couldn't think of anyone else." Johnny Cage said. Sonya nodded in agreement.

"...You two realize that I have no experience to account for, right?" Stryker said.

"Yes, but you're her uncle and..."

"Babysitting is not part of a police officer's duties.." he sighed.

Johnny and Sonya were going on a vacation. After all, they deserved it following the birth of their daughter, Cassandra. She was now two and a half, going on three soon, and they figured it was about time for a break.

"And why me?" Stryker asked,"why not Jax, or even Kenshi?"

"Jax has his hands full with Jacqui and-"

She stopped.

"There's no fucking way I'm leaving my precious baby in the hands of a blind man!"

"I'd rather put her in Kano's hands before I let Kenshi ever hold her!" she added.

"I..um...honey?" Johnny said.

"Please Kurt. Just this once. I promise I'll never bother you again." Sonya said.

"Fine. I'll do it. But just this once." he said, getting back into his car.

"You're lucky I like you two so much." he added, driving away.

"Ok, we'll be over with Cassie at seven!" Sonya said.

Stryker looked at the clock. It was 6:50.

"Fuck." he muttered.

There was no way in hell he could take care of a baby. He didn't know how to! Just the idea made him cringe. Feeding, crying, staying up all hours while he had his own job to do.

Then it hit him.

"...diaper changing.." he said, eyes growing wide.

Behind the wheel of his new car, he contemplated crashing it on I-76. Anything to get out of this.

Kabal could not withhold his laughter.

When he walked into Stryker's condo in the heart of Center City, the first thing his friend did was complain about it.

And like every good friend, Kabal laughed in his face.

"So glad to see you so supportive." Stryker said, rolling his eyes.

He went to his room to change, when Sonya and Johnny came over.

Kabal answered the door, surprising the two.

"Oh! Hello Kabal! Is Kurt home?" Johnny asked. "His car is here, so I know he's home." Sonya snapped, walking inside.

"Hey, wait, he's-"

Sonya barged into his bedroom, when she gasped, seeing him changing his clothes.

"Sonya! Get out of here!" he yelled, pulling his pants over his hips.

"Oh my god, Kurt, I am so sorry!" she yelled, covering her eyes, turning away as she closed the door.

Once again, Kabal laughed.

Johnny laughed as well, while Sonya crossed her arms, wearing a huge blush.

"Well, that's more of Kurtis Stryker than I needed to see." she groaned.

He emerged out of his room a minute later wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. Sonya couldn't look him in the eye, and he said,"Relax, it's fine, I'm sure it's nothing you haven't seen before."

"What?" Johnny asked.

"I mean it figuratively!" Stryker yelled.

"Anyway..our flight leaves soon. Here's all you're going to need for a week." Sonya said, finally finding the courage to look at him.

"A week?!" he yelled.

Sonya ignored that and pulled out a gigantic designer baby bag.

"Here's her diapers, bottles, wipes, coloring books, food and pacifier."

He began to lose count on how much stuff she had.

Johnny then brought in 5 bags of toys.

And then five more.

And then...

"Johnny, it's only for a week! You'd think I'm running a daycare here!" Stryker said.

"Yeah but, my Cassie loves all her toys." Johnny said.

"That kid is going to be spoiled rotten when she grows up." Kabal muttered.

"Tell me about it." Stryker said.

"I heard that!" Sonya yelled.

"Ok, say bye bye to daddy!" Johnny said, giving Cassie a kiss. Sonya did the same, and then they placed Cassie in Stryker's arms.

"Thanks again, Kurt, we really owe you one." Johnny said, blowing a kiss to Cassie one more time.

The two left, the slam of the door sealing his fate.

"I would soon rather fight Shao Kahn and his entire Outworld army than do this.."

/

a/n: please put a stop to me I have no idea what I'm doing. This idea came to me a few days ago, I figured I could try some humor. Well, it won't be a long fic, he only has Cassie for a week. Of course, a lot can happen in 7 days, you know.

ive also decided to change Cassie's age to 2 1/2, so she can talk and back sass her darling Uncle Kurtis. Makes for more funny. I really have no idea when babies start talking. She can't speak full sentences of course, but she can say a few words at least


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

She was strong.

Damn strong.

He felt himself moving backwards as he and Katatonia found themselves at a deadlock.

"Giving up yet, Kurtis Stryker?" she asked, her accent taunting his name coldly.

"Not on your life, babe." he said, looking right into her eyes as she gasped and turned red.

Still, one little fluster couldn't deter her.

He had caught her as she was on one of her routine criminal busting routes.

Granted, vigilantes somewhat do the same thing police officers do, but vigilantism isn't allowed in the city.

And for that, he had to put her in cuffs.

He found her in South Philadelphia, taking out a drug cartel in the back of a restaurant at 11th and Washington, and she fled the scene as she saw him.

He made chase, and caught her under I-95 at Front and Washington.

"This isn't even your precinct, what are you doing here?" she asked, dodging his fist.

"And miss an opportunity to see you? Never." he said.

She smirked as she grabbed his fist,"if I didn't know better, I'd say you have a little crush on me."

He chuckled.

It was intoxicating on her senses, she loved to hear it.

"If only it were that easy." he said with a wink.

"Stop flirting with me, asshole!" she yelled, her fist nearly connecting with his face.

She managed to kick him right in his side, her foot connecting with his obliques, and he fell to the ground coughing.

"I almost forgot, you're the legs of Helsinki.." he said.

Firm, toned, muscled, long, her legs were stunning, for such a short woman.

She was about to reply, when a disco-themed ringtone began to play.

"What in the?"

He stopped.

"You seriously brought your phone..?" she asked.

"I'm on serious business right now, I need to have it on me all the time." he said.

He looked at her as if to question if he can answer it, and she said,"Go ahead. And change that stupid ringtone while you're at it."

"Hey! Kabal put that tone on! He's..such an idiot." he said.

She crossed her arms as Stryker took the phone call, raising her eyebrow at the screaming on the other line.

"Kurt, I can't do this anymore! I need you here now!" Kabal yelled on the other line.

It was the last day of Kabal's vacation, and Stryker had asked him to look after Cassie until he was done his shift.

Of course, Kabal had no idea how to handle a baby either.

"She pissed on my shoes and puked twice on my shirt! I'm pretty sure she's got a dirty diaper too!" he yelled.

"I'm really busy now, you know this, I'm at work!" Stryker yelled.

"But Kurt! I can't do this alone!"

The two went on and on until Stryker hung up the phone.

"Kabal is such an idiot...then again, he's my idiot." he groaned.

"Isn't he your partner? The hot dark haired guy that looks like Antonio Banderas?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's him-hey wait a second!" he yelled.

"That's not fair." he added,"who do I look like then?"

"I don't know, you look like Kurtis Stryker." she said with a shrug.

"Damn it..." he muttered.

She tilted her head.

"My shift ends soon..I gotta get home." he added.

"Well then, in that case, I'll-"

She gasped when she felt handcuffs close over her wrists.

"What the fuck, Kurt?" she snapped.

"You are not going anywhere." he said, pinning her against his car.

"I'm one second away from screaming, you don't want me to do that." she said.

"Try me." he challenged.

She began thrashing and screaming in his hold, nearly coming close to kicking him between his legs.

He grasped her by her jacket sleeve and said,"I'm not in the mood, get in the car, and we won't have any problems."

"Fuck off." she snapped, when he pushed her into the backseat.

He ignored her screaming, cursing and kicking when Kabal called again.

Twice.

"Seriously, Kurt, I need you here, she needs a diaper change, and she smells terrible!"

Katatonia raised an eyebrow at the conversation.

Diaper changes? Did Stryker have a child that she didn't know about? Not that it was her business, but having known each other for this long, there weren't many secrets between them.

"Ok, after I take Kat to the station, then I'll clock out and come over." Stryker said.

"She won't stop crying! Help!" Kabal said.

Stryker hung up, and began driving. It was a quiet drive. He knew that that was even worse than her kicking and screaming. When a woman was silent, that always spelled doom.

"Something wrong?" he asked her.

"You didn't tell me you had children." she said.

He laughed.

Was she...jealous?

"Not mine. My friends Johnny and Sonya asked me to babysit their daughter for a week." he replied.

"Oh." she said, as relief splashed through her. Not that she would ever admit it, but Stryker was hers. They had already established this kind of relationship, he was her pet, her prey.

"Don't worry kid, I'm all yours." he said, smirking at her expression and blushing red face in the mirror.

As he was driving to the station, he got more texts from Kabal. Then it hit him.

Waiting at a red light, he turned to Katatonia and said,"Alright, let's make a deal."

"A deal? You think we're on some game show or something?" she snapped.

"Bare with me, please." he said,"listen. If you do this for me, I'll let you go, and wipe your record clean."

She looked at him skeptically.

"Seriously?" she asked.

He nodded, and took off the handcuffs.

"Do you have any experience with babies?" he asked.

"...what?" she asked.

"I need help. Kabal goes back to work tomorrow, and I can't do this on my own. So I'm asking you for your help. Help me help you. If you do this, I promise I'll wipe your record clean." he said.

"Y-you're fucking crazy! I don't know how to take care of a baby!" she yelled incredulously.

"Please, Kat." he said.

He looked like he was one second away from begging.

"I need a woman's help with this, and you're the only woman I know." he added.

She sighed.

"This is..absolutely insane!" she yelled.

She let out a breath and clapped her hands.

"Alright. You know what, I'll play along with your little charade. You want my help, you got it. But you better owe up to your part of the bargain. If you don't, I'll make you regret ever knowing me."

"Don't worry. I'm a man of my word. You'll get your reward at the end of the week." he said, as they began driving again.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe I just agreed to this.." she said, shaking her head with a bewildered glare.

"I can't either." he said, when they pulled into his precinct.

"Um...what are we doing here?" she asked. "I gotta clock out. Stay down and I'll come get you once I'm done." he replied.

She nodded and curled herself on the floor, in the space between the back and front seats.

"He's..really going to do this.." she said to herself.

A few minutes later, the back door opened, and she nearly screamed and pounced before Stryker said,"Alright, let's go."

Together, they walked to his car and drove back to his house.

She still couldn't believe she agreed to this...

/

This chapter's a little OC-centric, but here's the formation of Stryker's plan. It can't possibly fail, right? OC Kat is from another story if you want to check it out, it's a far more darker tone than this one is, but yeah..

enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Oh thank god!" Kabal yelled, reaching out to hug Stryker. But the hug wasn't returned. Instead, Stryker jumped back and yelled,"Your shirt is..your shoes, don't touch me!"

"God, what is that stench?!" Katatonia yelled, pushing past the two.

"What's she doing here? I thought you threw her in the slammer.." Kabal said.

"I had a better idea. I decided to let her help us." Stryker replied.

"You put the baby in the hands of a psychopath?!" Kabal yelled.

"Shhh!" he yelled,"just...trust me on this. God I hope I'm making the right decision." Stryker said.

Katatonia looked around the condo and whistled.

"Fancy place, Kurtis. I'm sure getting on your hands and knees for The Man has its advantages." she said.

He went to reply, when she followed the stench of what smelled like a dirty diaper and found a blonde baby girl in her crib, crying.

"Oh my god." she said, gagging.

She then stomped to Kabal and yelled,"How long have you been watching her?!"

"Um..a few hours..." Kabal yelled, cringing as she yelled,"And you haven't changed her once?!"

"I don't know how to!" he yelled.

"She can get an infection!" she yelled.

The two went back and forth, when she turned and tried to get into the bedroom. Stryker was one step ahead and stood in the doorway, blocking her.

"What the hell are you doing?! Get out of my way!" she growled. "I..I don't trust you!" he yelled. "But...you asked me...to...help.." she said.

Cassie cried more and she yelled,"If you don't get out of my way, I'll push my way through!"

"Kurt, I think it's best to do what the lady says." Kabal said, holding his hands up like a caught criminal.

Stryker sighed and moved, letting her get into the bedroom. "God help me..." he said.

Quietly, she walked into the room, holding her nose as she treaded carefully to the crib, and gently picked her up.

"What's her name?" she asked.

Kabal and Stryker looked on cautiously as she held Cassie in her arms.

The same hands that killed people...

Yet, she looked..natural?

"H-her name is Cassie. Cassie Cage." Stryker said.

"Hello there, little Cassie.." she said softly, smiling as she pressed her finger on her tiny nose.

At that moment, Cassie stopped crying.

The two men dropped their jaws in shock.

"You're so cute!" she said, her eyes glowing, rocking her gently.

"Don't worry, I take of you." she said, walking past the two shell-shocked men.

"Unreal..." Kabal said.

She went into his living room, kneeling down in front of her, asking for her diaper bag.

Stryker threw it to her, and she took out a cleaning bed.

"Kurt, Kabal, come here. Watch me." she said.

"No way, you're on your own, Kat." Kabal said. "I didn't make it a question." she snapped coldly.

Stryker dared walk in the room, eyes growing wide as she removed Cassie's diaper.

"Oh god!" he yelled, slamming his hand over his mouth. Kabal shrieked and ran out of the room, too.

"You guys!" she yelled.

"Ugh..fine. Looks like it's just you and me." she added, looking for baby wipes and powder.

She inspected her for infection and wiped her clean, placing baby powder on her as well.

Finally, she was finished, putting on a new diaper. She then placed the old diaper in a trash bag, and went to the sink in the kitchen to wash her hands.

"Kurt! Kabal! Get over here!" she yelled, placing Cassie in her arms.

They watched in awe as she held Cassie on her shoulder, bouncing and rocking her.

"You guys are disappointing. How do you expect to watch her if you can't even..." she sighed,"never mind. I'm gonna put her back to sleep."

The men were still speechless.

She returned a minute later and took Kabal aside.

"Alright. Take off your clothes." she said.

"W-what do you need me to do that for?" he asked. "Your clothes stink. I'm going to clean them." she said.

"You don't have to.." he said, shying away.

"It's fine." she said.

He looked away as he began to strip down to his underpants.

"The washer is down in the basement. Kabal, take a shower, I have some extra clothes for you."

When she left the room, Kabal finished his shower, and changed. Stryker hung over Cassie's crib and watched her sleep.

"She really is cute. But I'm afraid to hold her." he said. "Why don't you give it a try?" Kabal asked as he changed.

"She's sleeping, I can't wake her up now." he said. Kabal chuckled. "Excuses."

Katatonia returned twenty minutes later with Kabal's wet clothes and hung them in the bathroom, laying on his couch in the living room.

"You two will never survive as parents." she said with a smile. "How the hell did you...know how to do that?" Kabal asked. "Back home, I helped my friend out with his nephew once. Cute little kid. My friend was only eighteen, but he had to adopt the kid after his father died. The whole situation was a mess." she replied,"it was only once, but some things stay with you. What do they call it, muscle memory?"

"I'm so used to you being crazy and killer and everything. Just seeing you like this.." Stryker said. "It's really nothing." she said with a smile. She then got up from the couch and said,"Well...I suppose you should get to cleaning up this place. She threw all her toys around." "I.." he stammered. "Kurtis...you have to be responsible." she said, crossing her arms.

"I know that, just...let me wrap my head around everything." he said, rising from the couch. He began to pick up the toys and put them in boxes, while he placed chairs back by the table. As he cleaned up, Katatonia went out on his deck with Kabal, who had a glass of scotch in his hand. The two seemed to be talking.

It was peaceful.

Then she frowned.

"So much for peace.." he muttered.

The two began to argue. She had her arms crossed, head turned away from him, as he returned the yelling. He didn't want to know what they were arguing about.

Cassie began to cry again.

"Damn it.." he said, walking back into the room.

Hovering over Cassie's crib, he tried reaching in, but kept falling back in fright. "I...I can't...I'm too scared." He tried again, only to shake his head and frown. "Ok...ok, it's alright, honey, stop crying...please, stop crying.." he said. He ran out of the bedroom, into one of her ten toy boxes and looked for a hand puppet. When he found one, he ran back into the bedroom and back to the crib.

"Look at the happy puppet!" he said with a cheerful face, making the puppet dance.

Cassie still cried.

"Oh my god.." he said.

He then began making funny faces and cracking terrible jokes.

Cassie still cried.

The door to the deck opened and Katatonia and Kabal stomped in. They were still arguing, but they stopped once she heard Cassie crying. "Damn it, Kurt, where are you?" she asked, running into the bedroom. To her surprise, she saw him hovered over the crib, trying his best to make her stop crying. "I don't know what to do, she keeps crying. Does she need a new diaper again?" he asked. She walked beside Stryker and said,"She's probably hungry. You ever feed a baby?"

"No." he replied. "Alright, time for a lesson." she said, taking Cassie into her arms. Holding the baby in her arms, she left the room and went into the kitchen, preparing a bottle. "Technically, I never did this for my friend's nephew, but it seems easy enough." she added,"now watch me."

She looked down at Cassie, who had stopped crying since being in Katatonia's arms, and said,"Feeding time!", with a big smile. "Now hold the bottle." she added. He held the bottle with shaking hands and began to bring it to her mouth. "Um...bottoms up?" he said, wearing a smirk. "Kurt..." she groaned. "I'm trying my best over here." he said.

Again, he tried to give her the bottle, but his hands shook more.

He breathed in, and tried one more time, when she growled and snatched the bottle from him. "It's so easy, Kurt. Look." she snapped, gently placing the bottle in Cassie's mouth.

Happily, she drank, while Katatonia took her with her on the couch. He leaned on the kitchen doorway, watching her.

Maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter has more of a somber tone, but at least we have Kabal to keep things funny here.

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

Cassie had been put to bed, and Katatonia began to walk out of the bedroom.

She giggled as Kabal got into Stryker's bed and asked her not to tell him, because he was almost sure he'd kick him out.

As she began to collect her things to leave, she noticed that Stryker was half awake on the couch watching highlights of the Phillies game, looking to see if they had finally won.

They didn't, and he groaned at how poorly they played, stating that Kabal could hit better than the entire team, and he hated baseball.

She walked to the door and reached out at the knob when Stryker appeared next to her. An audible gasp left her lips and her face turned a deep cherry when he took her hand into his, she quickly swiped it back, and he asked her to stay.

"Would it be too much? Just one night. Then I can handle everything from there." he said.

"I shouldn't..." she said.

"Please?" he asked.

He wasn't one for begging, but he knew he couldn't take care of Cassie without her expertise.

Not to mention that he hasn't fully grasped the simple things like feeding, bathing, diaper changing, and everything in between.

The room was quiet, the TV volume on low, the lights were out, the TV glare on her face still revealing the scarlet on her cheeks.

"I..don't have anything here.." she said.

"I can provide you with something to wear." he said, ready to go into his bedroom.

"Fine. I'll stay. Besides, it's too late to take the bus now." she said. "I would drive you, I wouldn't let you go out late at night. Even though I have come across you at all hours of the night." he said.

She nodded in acknowledgment and sat on the couch, watching as he approached her again, blushing as his eyes moved up and down her body.

Unending curves, long toned, muscular legs, perky breasts and-

"Kurtis Stryker, I know you're not-"

"I have to know what size pajamas to get you." he said quickly, as if to not blow his cover.

"Sure. Ogle me some more, pervert." she snapped, crossing her arms. If anything, it made her breasts stick out further, and he quickly ran into his bedroom, ready to look for pajamas, when he found Kabal in his bed.

"No. No no no no. Kabal, get out of my bed." he snapped, pulling on his hair.

"Oh baby..." Kabal moaned in his sleep.

Stryker gasped, releasing his ponytail. He forgot that Kabal had a huge fetish for hair pulling.

"Yo. Get out of my bed."

He began to shake Kabal's shoulder, but it was to no avail.

Katatonia leaned on the door frame watching in amusement, with a smirk on her face.

"Damn it, Kabal, my bed isn't made for two people! Get up!" he yelled.

After all, Stryker was single, so the bed was designed only for him. He wasn't interested in bringing women back, he couldn't even accommodate them.

And now with the heavily muscled Kabal in his bed, taking up all his room...

"Looks like he's dead. Better get used to it." she said. Stryker groaned. He wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the idea of cuddling next to his partner in a tiny bed.

"Where will you sleep?" he asked. She shrugged, asking him to advert his eyes as she changed into a pair of red pajamas.

She frowned.

They were much too large. The pants didn't hold around her waist and fell to the floor, revealing a pair of green bikini panties.

Another gasp and a blushing of her cheeks as she struggled to keep her pants on.

"Sorry." he said,"I don't think I have anything else."

"Just give me a long shirt then, I don't need pants. I don't wear any anyway." she said.

"Of course you don't.." he muttered to himself,"why do you think I'm so distracted every time we fight?"

He tossed a long black shirt to her, one that came to her knees, and she thanked him, leaving to go into his living room.

She curled up on the black leather couch, pulling her knees up, as she tried to sleep.

Meanwhile, Stryker took his shirt and pants off, changing into a blue pajama set, dreading getting in beside Kabal.

And to his fears, as soon as he got into the bed, Kabal spooned him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Kill me." he said.

Two hours later, Stryker awoke to a horrid stench in the room. His eyes snapped open, looking down to see that Kabal still had him in his grip, and groaned,"Damn, what did you eat last night?!"

But the stench was coming from Cassie's crib.

She began to cry, and as if on cue, Katatonia ran in, and took Cassie into her arms.

"Oh no. You went all over yourself. Poor thing, I'll clean you up." she said.

She looked over to the bed, smirking at how cute Stryker and Kabal looked in each other's arms.

"I gotta open a window..." he said. "I'm on it." she said, placing Cassie down on the crib for a second to open the bedroom window.

Once that was done, she took Cassie into her arms and into the bathroom, ignoring the mess that had gotten onto her hands.

"Kurt, can I ask you to change Cassie's sheets? They're messy, but-"

"I'm stuck here, Kat. Kabal won't let me go." he said. Katatonia sighed and said,"How sweet. You know, he really loves you."

"I know that all too well." he said.

"Alright, I'm gonna clean you up, little lady." she said, closing the door.

She began to fill the bathtub, and once that was full, she placed bubbles into the bath.

Cassie clapped and began splashing, when Katatonia put a rubber duckie into the tub, making quacking noises.

"I wonder...have your parents began to potty train you?" she said to herself, watching as Cassie bounced, laughed and splashed around.

The door opened, and both girls looked up to see Stryker poke his head in the room.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Full of shit." she replied with a giggle.

"I mean-"

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I'll clean up the crib." he said. She laughed. "You can't even stand the sight of a diaper change, how can...and how did you get out of Kabal's grip?"

"I have my ways." he said.

Once Cassie was all cleaned up, Stryker sat beside Katatonia as she played with her. He took the rubber duck into his hands, and moved it around, making quacking sounds, as Cassie laughed and tried to quack too.

Katatonia would take notes on how cute Stryker's duck impersonation was. She was practically beaming as they interacted.

She then rose from the floor and grabbed a towel, when he pulled the stopper out, and they watched as the water went down the drain.

Wrapping the towel around Cassie, she began to dry her hair, looking at its color.

"One of her parents is blonde?" she asked. "Her mother. Her father is a brunette. Johnny Cage. You ever hear of him?"

He sat beside her as she put on a new diaper and put her in a set of pink pajamas, once she was all dried off, sitting on the living room floor.

"No. Can't say I have. What, is he famous or something?"

He laughed. Johnny would surely have a cardiac hearing this.

"He's a martial arts actor." he replied. "Oh. Like..Bruce Lee, or Jean Claude Van Damne?" she asked. "Yeah. Actually, they said that he was the American Van Damne." he replied.

She giggled.

"And her mother?"

"Military. That's how I met them. I was friends with Sonya, that's her name, first. We met during a terrorist attack in New York. I was on the SWAT team and she was with the Special Forces. We worked together to save the city, then we went our separate ways. We kept contact, but I was surprised to see that she had finally settled down. She's a hard ass who said that she never had time for love. To find that she married someone like Johnny Cage was a huge shock."

"You are originally from New York?" she asked. He nodded. "Born and raised. I was raised by my father, he was a cop, too. That's what got me interested in becoming a cop as well."

"And what of your mother?" she asked,"forgive me, I shouldn't ask these questions.."

"It's fine." he said. But she noticed a change in his voice.

"I never knew her. Apparently she dumped me on dad's doorstep when she had me. My father only mentioned that she was a woman with a criminal background, and that I was the result of a one-night-stand."

"Oh my god..." she said.

He shook his head. "It's all in the past now. Still, I wanted to be one of those kids with two parents. I grew up mostly alone. I didn't have any real friends. Of course, my dad being a cop, he was rarely home. I had to fend for myself. He wanted me to befriend the other cop's children, but who wanted to be friends with a bastardized child?"

She looked down at Cassie, who was asleep in her arms.

"She's lucky. She has two parents who love her dearly." he said with a smile. He looked away and said,"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to reveal all that."

"It's fine." she said, ignoring the blush across her cheeks when she reached out and took his hand.

"Sometimes, it's good to get things off our chests." she added with a reassuring smile.

He could have melted.

But Kabal ruined the moment by screamed that the room stunk, and wondering what it was.

She gasped and said,"oh my god, I forgot to change the sheets in Cassie's crib!"

"Can you hold Cassie for a bit?" she added, placing her into Stryker's arms, running into the bedroom.

She turned on the lights and said,"Sorry, Kabal, Cassie had an accident. I'll clean it up."

He watched as she went to work, rolling the dirty sheets into a ball, tossing it to the side, digging into her baby bag and pulling out pink bedsheets with unicorns on it.

She applied the new sheets, and quickly ran out of the room with the dirty sheets, throwing them into the hamper in the basement, promising to clean them later on.

Walking back into Stryker's apartment, she washed her hands, and then took Cassie into her hold, putting her into the crib.

By now she was exhausted. Both men could tell, and Stryker wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her as she began to wobble.

"Hey. Relax." he said gently, holding her. She turned to him, laying her head on his chest as her hands steadied herself on his stomach.

"Kabal, get up, let her have the bed." he said, leading her into his bedroom.

"She can stay with me, I don't mind." he said. That didn't go ignored by Katatonia, who dug her nails into Stryker's skin.

She didn't realize it was a huge turn-on for him.

"Kabal. Seriously. Get up." he said.

"It's fine, I don't-" she yawned,"-need sleep. It'll be morning soon, I'll make-"

"No, Katatonia, get some sleep, you've done more than enough." Stryker said, his voice laced with worry as she swayed in his arms.

"I sleep when I'm dead." she said,"and besides, you two can't take care of her."

"She's sleeping now anyway." Stryker said, lifting her from the floor.

Bad move.

Like her namesake, she nearly clawed Stryker and screamed as he carried her to his bed. The scream was nearly loud enough to wake up all his neighbors.

"Release me this instant, Kurtis Stryker!" she yelled.

Kabal laughed and said,"Oh shit! She used your full name, you're fucked!"

Then he smirked, and hip checked Stryker, causing him to fall on top of her once he put her on his bed.

She gasped, feeling him laying between her legs, her without pants on, he with flimsy pajama pants, and growled, kicking him off.

"You're dead, Kabal." Stryker threatened.

"You'll thank me later. Besides. Not if she kills you first." Kabal said, grabbing Stryker's arm as they fled the room, locking the door behind them.

"Great. Now she'll kill both of us when she wakes up." Stryker said.

Kabal winked and saluted.

"Well, it's been great working beside you, Mr. Stryker. It's been a real pleasure."

"Kabal..."

"Goodnight, honey."

"I'll kill you in the morning."

"I love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

It was morning.

Kabal and Stryker slept out in the living room, Stryker on the couch, Kabal on the floor, when they rose from their slumber.

Kabal groaned as he rose, curling on his back in pain.

"I told you to sleep on the couch with me." Stryker said. "If only it was a pullout couch." Kabal said. "It is a pullout." Stryker said, causing Kabal to fall to the floor.

They looked at the bedroom door, and Stryker looked down at himself.

"I gotta put my uniform on. But I don't want to wake Kat up." he said. "She's probably breast feeding her." Kabal said with a shrug, brushing his luscious locks.

"Cassie is too old for breast feeding. At least I hope she is." Stryker said, treading the waters as he walked in.

To his relief, Katatonia was asleep.

In her arms was a teddy bear, one of Cassie's. It was cute, and he contemplated getting one for her.

He went into his closet, taking out his uniform, and quietly placing it on the bed.

She stirred, and he stopped.

But it was just a false alarm.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw that she was still asleep, and he unbuttoned his shirt, dropping it to the floor.

He then pulled down his pants and underpants, ready to change those.

However...

Katatonia heard the noises, and opened her eyes.

And when she opened them, the first thing she saw was his bare bottoms.

She gasped and yelled,"Kurt!" while shielding her eyes, turning a crimson red.

"Kat!" he yelled, shielding his lower half. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry! But I needed to change and get ready for work! I didn't mean to wake you!"

She threw the sheets over her eyes, entire face red, as he finished changing.

"I'm finished, you can come out now." he said, watching with a certain fascination, as she slowly poked her head from under the covers.

"I..I really didn't need to see all that." she stammered.

She was so bashful. He found it adorable.

"Sorry. I didn't think you'd wake up. I tried to be as quiet as possible." he said,"um..if you don't mind me asking, how much did you see?"

"I only saw your bare ass before I covered my eyes." she admitted.

"Once again, I apologize." he said. "Just..don't let it happen again." she said, crossing her arms. He nodded and said,"I'll make sure of it." She looked him up and down and said,"So you're off to work?" "Yeah. Is it ok if I leave you two here for a bit?" he asked.

She nodded, and then yawned.

"Alright. Get back to sleep. I'll see you when I get home." he said, looking down at her with a smile when she fell down to the pillow. "She looks so peaceful...I suppose it's better than her usual brutal ways." he added, leaving the room.

The two walked out the door, and began walking down the halls when Katatonia approached them, placing her hands on their shoulders.

Once again, Stryker took note of how her nails dug into his skin, and he breathed into it, growing warm. She really didn't know his fetish..

"Did you guys eat breakfast yet?" she asked. "We did. Kabal made pancakes, eggs and bacon," he replied. "Hmm...I didn't smell anything cooking." she said.

"You must have been pretty knocked out." he said, placing his hands on her elbows. She blushed at that and he added,"Now please, go back to sleep. I'll be back later tonight." "'Ok." she said, yawning, as she turned and went back to the apartment.

"She's really working hard." Kabal said with a worried expression. "Yeah, she is. I'm worried, and weirded out, she's...totally different now. Remember this is the same woman who nearly broke my ribs with one kick and who nearly killed an entire army of Black Dragons. Seeing her acting all motherly is creepy." Stryker replied,"but I have to admit, I like this side of her."

Kabal smirked and winked flirtatiously at him as they drove to work.

As they drove, Sonya called. Stryker answered it and Sonya asked,"Hi Kurt. How's my baby doing?" "Cassie is doing just fine, Sonya." he replied. "I hear lots of noise in the background, what's going on there?" she asked. "I'm on my way to work now." he replied. There was silence in the background. "So, who's watching my baby then?" she snapped.

"I have a friend staying at the house. Do you remember that girl Katatonia? The one I've been chasing and-"

"YOU LEFT MY PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL IN THE HANDS OF A CRAZED PSYCHOPATH?! KURT WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" she yelled.

Stryker took the phone off his ear as she kept screaming, while Kabal took the phone from him. "Sonya, Sonya, please calm down, everything is fine! Really! Katatonia is doing a fantastic job with Cassie. She feeds her, changes her diapers, gives her baths, plays with her, Cassie even stops crying when she holds her."

"Does she..." Sonya said. "Still, I don't want that crazy woman near my baby." she added. "Sonya, really. Everything is fine. Like I said, Katatonia is doing a wonderful job." Stryker said, taking his phone back. "Alright." she breathed,"for your sake, nothing better happen to my Cassie. I will have your head."

"Y-yes ma'am." Stryker and Kabal said, hanging up the phone. "Why can I imagine Sonya running up here, barging into the house and snatching Cassie from Kat's arms?" Kabal said. Stryker laughed. "That sounds like something she'd do."

"Still, I hope Kat is sleeping. She needs it." he added.

Back at Stryker's house, Katatonia was sleeping, curled up in his bed. She held his pillow close, breathing in the scent that he left on it.

The bed was so comfortable...

"Can I sleep for a little longer?" she sighed, breathing in the pillow's scent again.

She slept for another hour, when she got up, ready to feed Cassie. When she got to her crib, she saw that she had recently woken up as well. "Come on, sweetie, time to eat!" she said, picking her up. She held Cassie close to her bosom, and went into the living room, placing Cassie in her high chair.

"Alright, what color do you like best?" Katatonia asked, placing three bottles of food in front of her; orange, green and red. Looking at Katatonia, and then at the food, she giggled and pointed at the orange bottle. "Orange...good choice!" she said happily. Looking at the bottle, she smiled and said,"Carrots. Carrots are good for you. Good for those cute eyes of yours!"

She began to feed her, smiling as she made the spoon into an airplane as it went into Cassie's mouth.

Once she fed her, she gave her a bath and changed her diaper, bringing her into the living room to play with her toys. She looked outside at the window as Cassie played with her tea party set, smiling.

"Cassie, dear, would you like to go outside?" she asked. Cassie giggled and clapped her hands. "Alright, let's go then! I'll get your stroller, and we'll go." she said, going into Stryker's living room closet. She took out Cassie's stroller and carried it out with her as she carried Cassie on her other arm.

They went outside of the condo, and she strapped Cassie in the stroller, pushing her to Rittenhouse Park down the street. The weather was nice. As she walked, people moved aside for the pretty pink stroller, admiring the pretty girls. They gushed about how cute Cassie was, and few pointed out that she and Cassie looked nothing alike. It didn't deter her, but it wasn't any of their business.

When they made it to the park, Katatonia placed a blanket on the grass, and sat down, with Cassie in her lap.

Butterflies flew around them, and she smiled as Cassie tried to catch one. Her hair was getting longer, and she watched as it blew around her in the wind. "Your hair is pretty...they said your mother's blonde?" she said, putting her hair in pigtails. She smiled again, laughing as Cassie laughed, when a puppy approached them.

At first, the puppy frightened Cassie, but when the tiny pug began licking her hand and then her face, she began to laugh. Katatonia, meanwhile, had hearts in her eyes at the cute animal.

The pug snorted and tried to jump on Cassie, but Katatonia pulled her back, as the owner apologized. "Sorry, Bruno here is exceptionally lovable. He always loves to jump on people, as much as I try to stop him." he said. Katatonia nodded in acknowledgement and watched as they walked away. They waved to the dog as they walked away, and again, Cassie tried to grab a butterfly.

"I wonder what your life is like with your parents...not that it's my business. And I don't know them...Sonya and...what's your father's name..? Anyway..."

The two spent another hour in the park when they decided to go back to Stryker's house. On the way, as they walked past the comic store on 19th street, she stopped when she saw a figure of Sailor Mars in the window. Katatonia stopped, jaw dropping. Cassie clapped and pointed at the figure, then pointed at Katatonia.

"Are you saying she looks like me?" she said with a laugh. She guessed she kind of did, what with her hourglass figure, large bosom and long purplish reddish hair. The fact that she was part Japanese didn't hurt, either. She smiled and looked down at Cassie in her stroller and said,"You don't mind if we make a detour, do you?"

Cassie laughed, and Katatonia took it as a yes.

The two walked in and as soon as they did, everyone dropped what they were doing, and looked at them.

Katatonia looked on in shock, and gripped the stroller.

"Sailor Mars! Sailor Mars just walked in our comic store!"

"And she's with Chibiusa!"

Katatonia looked around, all the nerdy men began to approach them, and she said,"I..I'm just here to buy the Sailor Mars figure..." The cashier rolled his eyes at the men in the store and yelled,"Stay away, she's with child!" "I'm sorry." he added, looking at the two,"you really do look like Sailor Mars though." Katatonia laughed awkwardly, and took her figure, bolting out of the store.

All the men in the comic shop ran to the window, watching as she ran away, demanding that she come back.

"Promise me something, Cassie." she said, when they walked back into the Stryker's apartment. She placed Cassie down on the couch with her and added,"Promise me you'll stay away from boys." Once again, Cassie laughed.

"Hmm...can you talk yet? I don't even know how old you are...two? I can change you, feed you, bathe you, all that, but I still know absolutely nothing about you."

She smiled as Cassie yawned, leaning on her side. "Sleepy, huh? Alright, let's get you a nap. Kurt will be coming home soon anyway, I should make him dinner. Maybe double that, considering Kabal will most likely be with him."

With Cassie asleep, Katatonia went into the kitchen, and opened his refrigerator, grabbing things for dinner, as her mind ran off.

Back at the station, Stryker and Kabal clocked out and went to their lockers, changing into their normal clothing, putting their guns away. Kabal watched as Stryker changed, teasing him, tickling his abs. "It hasn't been the same since Kat's been at the house. While she was on the loose, I always had to look over my shoulder to make sure she wasn't behind me. Not to mention, I think I miss fighting her."

"I think you like her." Kabal said with a wink. Stryker blushed and said,"The hell are you talking about? I-" Kabal laughed and said,"I'm joking, relax. But I get what you mean. You're just used to how work's been for the past few months. Your routine is broken." "You're right." Stryker said, grabbing his bag.

Kabal followed, walking Stryker back to his car.

"See, you're used to seeing her everywhere, you're used to fighting her, used to the rush. Changing a routine does things to someone's psyche. Although, it is kind of weird seeing that girl all motherly..." he said.

"You're not coming over?" Stryker asked, watching as Kabal got into his own car.

"Not tonight. I have things to do in the morning. I'll see you at work tomorrow?" he replied.

"I'll pick you up when it's time to go to work." he added with a wink, driving away.

Stryker watched him leave, and drove home.

When he got back to his apartment, he stopped and froze in the doorway at the sight before him.

The lights were dimmed, with candles lit all over the apartment and table. They were scented, the smell of Autumn Leaves all over the room. On the table there were plates with steaks, potatoes and vegetables. Beside the plate was a bowl of salad with a glass of red wine before the plate, along with bread next to the rest of the salad in the middle of the table.

The scent of the food went to his nose, and he breathed calmly.

"...You..you made dinner?" he asked when the shock wore off, and he finally found his voice. "I had some extra time, and I figured I'd go crazy with the food here." she replied. "Kat...wow. I...can't believe you'd...I wasn't even thinking of dinner, I was just going to get some Lorenzo's..." he stammered.

"That pizza is gross, and you should eat well to keep that figure of yours trim. Can't have fat cops in the city, you know." she said with a wink,"now sit down, the peppers are almost ready. I just have to turn them over and dip them in Mediterranean olive oil."

Once the peppers were done, she brought the bowl over, placing two large peppers on top of the mixed vegetables on the plate. She sat down beside him, and he said,"I don't even know what to say. Thank you so much.." "It's nothing. Please, eat, Kurt." she said , grabbing a fork.

The two ate in contemplative silence, every once in a while, he'd take a glance at her, watching as she grimaced as she swallowed the wine. "Too much for you?" he asked. She smirked and ate a hot pepper in one gulp. "The wine is alright, but very sweet. I don't drink it often." she replied. "You're not twenty-one yet, you shouldn't even be drinking to begin with." he said.

"Spoken like a true cop." she said with a wink, rising from the table. She began to take the plates to the sink, when he rose and grasped her wrist. She gasped and blushed, turning red. "Kat, relax. Let me do it." he said softly.

He wanted to do something to make it up to her. To thank her for the amazing dinner. She insisted on cleaning the dishes, but he told her to sit on the couch while he worked. "But you were on the streets all day." she said. "And you were with Cassie all day and made this awesome dinner, I can't let you do anymore." he said,"please, Kat, relax."

"Fine." she sighed, sitting on the couch. She began to flip the channels when she came across the anime channel. To her surprise, one of her favorite animes was on, and she squealed, running to the front the TV.

He laughed at the joy plastered on her face as a character in a brown jacket and a grimacing glare, and a scar on his face became splattered in blood.

The character had a deep, gruff voice, and he looked like a yakuza, running a gloved hand over his slicked back hair.

More violence was on the TV, and he noticed her smile grew bigger every time that specific character was on the screen.

So violent and bloody. It really shouldn't have come as a surprise.

"What's this you're watching?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"It's an anime called Sengoku Basara. It's about 16th century Japan." she replied.

Once again, that character came on screen, and she smiled again.

"You like that guy? What's his name?" he asked, wincing at the character slashing through another poor sap.

"That guy is actually my great-great-great grandfather." she said,"well..a more handsome, anime version of him."

"Really?" he asked. She nodded. "Despite all our meetings, and all our fighting, we really don't know much about each other, do we?"

"I suppose not." he replied.

She turned to Stryker and said,"I'm part Japanese. See that guy on the TV? My great-great-great grandmother married him. She was the daughter of that guy. The guy in silver armor, the demons, and the guns. His name is Oda Nobunaga, the Demon King."

"And I'm assuming he earned this nickname?" he asked. She nodded. "A terrifying, ruthless man. He stopped at nothing for conquest, killing all those in his path. No one was safe...though he said he'd take the land by force, for peace, in actuality, all he was doing was perpetuating the chaos. He was killed by his right hand man, the guy over there with the white hair and scythe."

"No wonder you're so violent." he said with a slight chuckle.

"When he was killed, his daughter married the guy with the slicked back hair. Something must have happened, because I'm here today." she said with a smirk.

"It must be fascinating to watch your ancestors in an anime." he said. "It really is. Growing up, I always wondered why my last name didn't sound like everyone else's. I was born in Finland, then we moved to Greece, and finally we came here. Everyone's last name was Smith or Jones, or Mc-Something, and I was Katakura. I was different than the average girl in school; I had long purple hair, my eyes were orange and a bit slanted, my skin was pale, and I had breasts. I could barely speak English, and the teachers couldn't pronounce my name."

"So..Katatonia is not your real name.." he said. "Of course not. Katatonia is a metal band from Sweden. Since I like them, I used my last name and derived it from the band." she replied.

"I became fascinated by Japanese culture when I had to do a project for social studies class. I approached my father, and he told me everything, including the fact that we descended from samurai clans-the Katakura and Oda clans to be exact. He told me all about their history..it was so amazing..I used to dream about being a samurai, killing everything in my path."

"And that's why you're so violent." he said with a smirk.

"Well, I am the great-great-great-great granddaughter of the Demon King from the sixth level of hell." I said with a wink.

She gasped as he came closer to her, once the show was over.

"You told me about you, and I told you about me. I'd say we're even now." she said with a smile,"got any more interesting stories? I'm sure you've seen everything while on the job."

As interested as she was, it was moreso a front, so he wouldn't see how nervous she was as he sat beside her.

"I don't know where to start." he replied.

"Well, I'm here all night. Or at least until Cassie wakes up." she said.

And right on cue, Cassie began to cry.

Katatonia rose from the floor, when Stryker stopped her. "Let me do it. You relax and watch TV."

"But.."

She shook her head and watched as Stryker went into the room. "..you don't know how to care for her.." she said to herself.

Not even a few minutes later, he screamed and yelled, "She just peed on my feet!"

"Coming!" Katatonia yelled, walking into the bedroom.

And once again, he apologized for a very long night.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It was Wednesday. Half way done with the week. Stryker had the day off, and so he wanted to spend the day with Katatonia and Cassie.

He sat on the edge of the bed, watching as both girls slept, smiling at how peaceful they looked. Sooner or later, one of them would wake up, but until then, he was content watching them.

As on cue, five minutes later, Katatonia woke up. Her eyes blinked and opened slowly, looking around the room, trying to get her focus, when she gasped at Stryker next to her. "Good morning." he said with a smile. She immediately blushed and put a pillow between the two, hiding, causing him to chuckle slightly.

"H-hi." she stammered. Her eyes widened when she noticed his state of dress; all he had on was a pair of tight blue boxers. "Kurt, what the hell? Put something on!" she yelled. "It's hot out...and well, I guess that's no excuse..." he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" she asked, looking over at Cassie.

"I'm off today. Hey. Let's take Cassie to the pool, the building has one on the 4th floor. Since it's so early, it'll be the three of us." he said.

"I'm not going to wake her up! She looks so comfortable!" she said, crossing her arms.

Before he could reply, Kabal walked into the bedroom, causing Katatonia to scream and grasp the pillow closer to her. He looked at Katatonia in the bedsheets, wearing one of Stryker's shirts, and Stryker, wearing his boxers, and back, before raising his eyebrow.

"Uh...anything I should know about?" he asked. "You idiot, we're not...I mean...Cassie is in there, and-" Stryker snapped, before Kabal added,"Babies can sleep through sex, you know.." "Shut. Up." Stryker snapped, pushing Kabal out of the room. "Besides, who invited you here?" he added.

"I have a key, remember?" Kabal asked with a wink. "And I regret giving it to you.." Stryker growled. Kabal placed his arm on Stryker's shoulder, smiling. "Go ahead and take Kat out. I'll watch Cassie." "But you don't even know how to take care of a child!" Stryker said. Kabal smiled and pulled out a tablet. "I do now! I have Google!"

"You gotta be kidding me.." Stryker said, exasperated. "So please, go ahead and take Kat to the pool. Spend some time with her. I will take care of everything." Kabal said, pushing Stryker back to his room. "Alright, alright, but if I find anything in this house destroyed, I will shave your hair and gut you." Stryker said, closing his door.

"You two are going to wake Cassie with all that noise." Katatonia said, crossing her arms. "Kabal said he'll take care of Cassie. Let's go to the pool." Stryker said, sitting on the bed. Katatonia glared at him and snapped,"I am not leaving that child in his care! He can't take care of her!" "It'll be ok. I trust him." he said. If anything, that made her angrier. "Kurtis Stryker, I can't believe you!" she whispered. "Give him a chance...I think it'll be alright." he said. She sighed. "Fine. Let's go." she said, getting out of the bed.

He left the room, allowing her to change, when she poked her head out the door. "Kurt?" she asked. He came to the door and asked,"Yeah?" "I..I don't have anything to wear." "I'll see if I can find something." he said, trying to get into the room. But she slammed the door and squealed, jumping to the bed, covering her naked body, when he got in. "I have another pair of swimming trunks, not sure if it'll fit though. And a tank top you can wear." he said, going into his closet.

As he dug through his closet, he looked back to Cassie, amazed at how she was still asleep. He took out a pair of red trunks and a white tank top, placing them on the bed, leaving the room to give Katatonia her privacy to change.

She emerged from the room a few minutes later, meeting up with Stryker, who had towels in his hand. She then turned to Kabal, grabbed his collar and slammed him to the wall. "If you hurt Cassie, I swear I will beat you within an inch of your life and hang you by your balls."

The color left from Kabal's face along with his smile.

"Why not just kill him?" Stryker asked. "Because that would be a most welcome gift compared to the things I'd do.." she said with a sadistic smile, causing Stryker to freeze. "Please, don't kill each other." Kabal said, pushing the two out the door. He closed it and locked it, walking to Cassie's crib.

"Fourth floor, you said?" Katatonia asked, walking to the elevator. "Yup." he replied. She sighed and looked down at the trunks, falling off her hips. "I can't keep these on." she said with a laugh,"might as well take them off." And with that, she took the trunks off, revealing her red bikini shorts. Her ass was tremendous, and he had to sneak a look or two, praying that he didn't get caught.

From the thirtieth floor, the elevator went down. She was silent, as was he. When they reached the fifteenth, however, the elevator shook and suddenly stopped. The impact caused Stryker to lose his footing, falling into Katatonia's arms. Flustered, she blushed red and grasped his shoulders, holding him upright.

"What the hell was that?" she asked. "Probably an accident." he replied. He looked at the blushing woman, then looked away shyly.

"Sorry." he added, walking away from her. He watched as she embraced herself in fright. "I..I don't like elevators." she said quietly.

"Claustrophobic?" he asked. She nodded. "I'll stand over here, then." he said, walking to the other side of the elevator. She crossed her arms, looking around at the four walls, hoping things would start up soon.

"A multi-million dollar condo in the heart of Center City and you can't even get an elevator to work right.." he said. "I hope the rent is worth it." she said. "It's very expensive..." he said,"Kabal helps with the bills." "You're serious? What about his living place?" she asked.

"He has a small apartment in South Philly. And I guess since I gave him a key to this place, he feels like he should help pay." he replied.

"And you chose a super expensive condo, why? You don't...strike me as a man who cares for wealth." she said. "I'm not. But I decided to treat myself. I guess if it comes to it, I'd probably move to where Kabal lives." he replied. Before she could say anything else, the elevator started up again. She screamed as it began to move, causing Stryker to rush to her side and hold her steady.

She gasped and grew flustered again, face turning red at their closeness. "Sorry. I didn't want you to fall down." he said. "I'm ok." she said, when he released her. Though she was flustered, she had to admit that she liked being in his hold. He was comforting, and she felt safe.

They made it to the pool, and he quickly dropped everything, taking off his shirt, jumping into the water. She followed suit, walking into the pool from the steps, gasping in surprise at the cold water. It was still morning, on a Wednesday, and everyone was at work. They'd be lucky enough to have the whole pool to themselves.

As she swam across the pool that spanned from one side of the room to the other, he splashed at her, his laugh echoing through the room. She returned the splash, the two making a mess of the peach tiled floors around them. A few moments later, she grabbed a floatie, floating through the pool as he pushed it around. "You think Kabal is taking care of Cassie?" she asked. He didn't reply. He was too busy staring at her breasts that were now visible through her wet white tank top. "Kurtis Stryker!" she yelled, her angry voice booming through the room. "Uh..what?" he asked, causing her to growl.

"Never mind. Yes, I know..it's a white shirt, it's wet, boobies, yay." she snapped, sarcastically. To her surprise, he got on the floatie next to her, his weight causing it to nearly tip over, making her scream.

"This thing can't handle muscled cops, Kurt." she said, crossing her arms, blushing as he came close to her. "But we haven't fallen over yet.." he said, attempting to wrap an arm around her waist.

"Maybe you have.." she said, pushing him off the floatie, and into the water.

She howled in laughter when he rose up from the water, shaking it out of his hair. "You're going to pay for that!" he yelled, flipping the floatie over, sending her flying into the water herself. "You don't know what you're just started, Kurtis Stryker..." she said in a cold tone.

"I'm going to die..." he said to himself, ducking under the floatie that Katatonia swung at him. When it hit his face, he fell back, and she followed that up with water thrown at him.

"Die! Die!" she yelled in laughter, splashing more water at him. He tried to block his face, shouting and splashing back at her, as they both laughed out loud. The fight went on for another few minutes, when Kabal and Cassie walked into the pool.

"...I should just walk away..." he said with a sigh, watching as the two fought outside the pool area, swinging foam noodles at each other.

Stryker was close to the edge and couldn't back up anymore, unless he'd fall into the water. But Katatonia was relentless. A child of the samurai, she was very, very good with weapons, and she wasn't afraid to hide it.

"I forgot you were a samurai!" Stryker yelled, blocking her strikes when he fell into the water. "Yes! The demon princess of the sixth level of hell has won again! In your face!" she cheered, jumping for joy, when Stryker grabbed her ankle, pulling her into the water once again.

She shrieked when she hit the water, flailing when she realized that she was in ten foot deep water, more than twice her height, as she was only four foot ten.

He noticed her flailing, and swam up behind her, holding her in his arms as they swam around. She jumped and shrieked, face turning red when she found herself in his embrace.

"Nani?! Put me down!" she cried, turning her face from him.

"I really should. Then again, I'm too kind to let you drown." he said with a wink. She huffed, crossing her arms, face still a beet red.

"You're so cute when you're bashful." he said, smiling. She shrieked again, ready to hit him, when they noticed Kabal and Cassie in the kiddie pool.

"Kabal! When did you get here?" Stryker asked, swimming over to them. He placed Katatonia beside Cassie, and sat next to Kabal, who brought a basket of treats for them.

"When you two started fighting." Kabal replied.

They looked over at Katatonia, who was now holding Cassie in her lap, feeding her with a bottle.

"Seemed pretty intense." he added.

"Yeah. It was. I forgot she's descended from samurais." Stryker replied.

"Samurai, really?" Kabal asked.

He nodded. "She's part Japanese. Her last name is Katakura. I looked up her clan, they're from the 16th century, and they served the northern lord Date Masamune. Each member of the Katakura clan served a Date, and they were all given the title 'Kojuro'. Her great great however many's grandpa was named Kagetsuna, but he was the first Kojuro."

"The daughter who married that man Kagetsuna was from the Oda clan. She-"

"She's an Oda?! Good lord, Kurt, no wonder she's a psychopath!" Kabal yelled incredulously.

"You know about that clan?" Stryker asked.

"I had to do a report in school on Oda Nobunaga years ago and...god, what a madman..there's a reason why he calls himself the demon king.."

"And why she calls herself the Demon Princess..." Stryker said with a laugh. "Yeah, you're pretty screwed, man." Kabal said with a laugh, watching as Katatonia rocked Cassie to sleep. "You think it's too soon for her to be near a pool?" Kabal asked. "As long as we stay on the edge of this little pool here." Katatonia replied. She looked at Kabal and added,"You don't have your tablet?"

"Nah, I'm winging it. What's the worst that could happen?" he asked. "You cannot be serious.." Stryker said. "Well...it's not a bad idea to try. And what first time parents aren't thinking the same thing?" Katatonia said. She looked down at the sleeping child and handed her to Stryker. "Go ahead, Kurt, hold her." she said with a smile. He was apprehensive, reaching out slowly, when his hands touched her little ones.

"What if I drop her..?" he said to himself.

"You won't." Katatonia said confidently.

"You seem to place a lot of pressure on me..." Stryker said. "If you're careful with me, you'll be careful with her. I trust you." she said with a smile. And with that, he took Cassie into his arms, holding her gently. "I don't forget that these are hands that have killed before.." Stryker said to himself, looking at Katatonia as she rose from the pool. Kabal followed, as did Stryker, and the three began walking back to Stryker's room.

"So...anyone hungry? We can just have a lazy day and watch movies and order out." Kabal said, ready to pick up his phone. "Shh." Katatonia said with a smile, looking over at the couch where Stryker lay asleep with Cassie sleeping on his shoulder.

Kabal squealed, blushing as did Katatonia, and he put his phone in his pocket, going into another room.

"They're bonding...how cute!" Kabal said. "Took long enough. Kurt only has two days left with her. I think he said that her parents are picking her up on Friday." she said with a smile. "So, should we order pizza? What kind do you like?" he asked. "Any kind is fine, as long as you two are good." she replied.

"What if I order anchovies?" he asked. "Then I'll kill you. They're so gross and salty." she replied, crossing her arms. "Well, I'll go ahead and order us a few pizzas, let you change, and go on Netflix. I'm sure we'll find something to watch." he said, ready to leave the room.

He watched as she reached for her jeans and long sleeved shirt, tossing it on Stryker's bed. "Netflix and Chill?" she asked with a laugh,"just make sure it's not too violent. Remember, we have a two year old here."

"Why don't we let her watch one of her father's movies?" he asked. "I'm curious about his movies myself. Are they really cheesy?" she asked. "Yeah, they're cringe-worthy." he replied with a laugh, leaving the room. He closed the door behind him, and Katatonia changed back into her clothes.

She came back a few minutes later, watching as Kabal finished the pizza order, and sat down next to Stryker, watching as the two slept. "So, you're a samurai, huh?" he asked. She nodded. "Oda-Katakura. I heard you and Kurt talking about it."

"I'm well-versed with sword play, too, you know." he said with a wink. "I saw. Hook swords? You know they're typically Chinese." she replied. "Yeah. I've always been interested in Asian cultures, so I taught myself how to use their weapons. Of course it means nothing in policing, but it's good to have that knowledge." he said.

"It's good to be well-versed in multiple weapons, different fighting skills, to keep your enemies guessing. Have you trained Kurt at all?" she asked.

"No. Not yet. Should I?" he asked.

"Yes, you should." she replied, looking over at the sleeping pair. "Gotta keep on my toes the next time we fight, the next time he tries to arrest me."

"I don't know how this week will change things...I have a feeling that Kurt is looking at you in a new light." he said. "I never wanted him to see me as a bad person. I just...always did things on my own. It's going back to normal after this. I won't let him stop me." she said, looking out the window, as the sky turned dark.

"This week changes nothing. I'm still that criminal, and he's still that cop. I can't let it be different.." she added.

Kabal looked at her with pity.

"I'm hoping things would be different. I don't want you two to fight anymore."

"I'm not making any promises..." she said with a smile, turning to the door when the pizzas came in.

"Pizza, Netflix and Babysitting. Looks like it's a party tonight!"


End file.
